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About Me

A literary journalist and publicist since 2001, Dee Stewart’s writings have appeared in RT Book Reviews, Spirit Led Woman, Precious Times, Romantic Times Magazines and on The Master’s Artist Blog. Her work focuses on fiction, popular culture, media and their relationship to people who live according to a Christian worldview. She is the also owner of Christian Fiction Blog and DeeGospel PR. Moreover, she writes for Kensington Publishers under the pen name Miranda Parker. Her novel A Good Excuse to Be Bad releases July 2011. She lives in Atlanta, GA.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Fueled by the belief that something better exists than the mundane life they've been living, free spirits Don and Paul set off on an adventure-filled road trip in search of deeper meaning, beauty, and an explanation for life. Many young men dream of such a trip, but few are brave enough to actually attempt it. Fewer still have the writing skills of Donald Miller, who records the trip with wide-eyed honesty in achingly beautiful prose. In this completely revised edition, he discusses everything from the nature of friendship, the reason for pain, and the origins of beauty.

As they travel from Texas to Oregon in Paul's cantankerous Volkswagen van, the two friends encounter a variety of fascinating people, witness the fullness of nature's splendor, and learn unexpected lessons about themselves, each other, and even God.

Haven't read the novel, yet. So I'm interested to hear from those who have read it. I read a road-trip fiction novel this summer, Free Bird. So I would like to hear how this differs.

This week is a doozy for me. I have to complete the PTA Newsletter, write a book review for Focus on Fiction, a read a New Spirit galley, write 1200 words a day, cover Atlanta events for Rejoice, prepare for thirdthursdays, meet my writing group/prayer partners, and finalize my aunt's passing, all while dealing with the stomach flu and a cranky Selah. I've completed most everything. But the thing that has me on lock the most is trying to come up with a good story for faith*in*fiction's short story contest. At first I wasn't going to do it. I'm trying to rewrite a novel for Dave's sake. And my black voice is just too loud and too much for some folks. And I really wasn't in the mood to wash it down to appease others. God made me this way. Bless him. So sometimes I just don't participate in these things. Yet, after my aunt's funeral I decided bump it two tears in a bucket i'll give it a try. I've lost you haven't I?Anyway, after I made this great decision I found a few distractions that I want to bring to your attention. Not because I want you to write a sucky story so that J. Mark Bertrand could win. But that may keep you motivated as you write.

I've been reading two military blogs-one from an Agnes Scott College student(my alma mater)serving on the 48th Brigade Combat Team and one from Mustang 09 a National Guard Soldier. Three soldiers from the 48th died on Monday, so I'm sitting here waiting from news from Spc. Schreck instead of writing. But these blogs tell you so much of what is going on in Iraq through the soldier's eyes. We're always talking about realism in our writing. Why don't we go to some sources that may give us a real view of things. This picture was taken from Mustang 09. It is a sandstorm--Shamal. Wow!

Mustang 09 writes his experience with this storm:Breathing is painful, as each inhalation is accompanied by what seems to be a pound of desert sand. You can’t see unless you are wearing glasses or goggles, because no matter what direction you move, the sand buries itself in your eyes. Clothes, skin, hands and teeth are immediately coated with a gritty dry film. But duty is duty, so we trudged off towards the gate.

There is a hard and heroic beauty in that description I could have never imagined to write myself. And I'm thankful for the job they are doing. I have five cousins and a host of friends over there. We all do.

The other thing is the Zotob virus. I spoke about that on a previous post. But there is another worm--WORM-RBOT.CBQ. Go to trendmicro.com. If you use Mozilla Firefox like me you have to use Internet Explorer to scan your pc for this virus.

Things have been so topsy turvy that I forgot to report on my sweet cheek's first day of school. Well...Selah Skye Stewart jumped out the truck, didn't wave at me, say goodbye or give me a kissy kiss. My child ran off into that big school without the car pool attendants help. Yikes! I was concerned for nothing. Then when I drive up the carpool lane to pick her up she's dragging this poor teacher to Blue Thunder--our SUV--and I can hear her high pitched voice telling the wide eyed woman. "This is my car, right here."I asked her how school went.She says. "Cool beans."Aargh!! She sounds like me.Needless to say Skye(Selah's middle name and the name I call her by) was ready for Kindergarten. Thanks for the prayers. It worked. :)Dee